Kailee harbored a deep resentment towards Ian, believing that if he hadn’t intervened and stopped Laney, she would have been able to use the essential oils and induce an undetected premature delivery.
What made matters worse was that Ian was one of Natalie’s men.
Despite Kailee not fearing Laney, the thought of going against Natalie, who had powerful supporters like the Larson and the White family, filled her with fear.
With a look of disgust, Garrett brushed off Kailee’s hand and firmly declared, “This is a matter concerning the Harding family and none of your concern. If there’s nothing else, leave now. I don’t want to see you again.”
Kailee was taken aback by Garrett’s coldness and his clear animosity towards her. She couldn’t believe that he could hate her so much. But her anger quickly turned into laughter as she pulled out her phone from her bag, handing it over to Garrett. “If I leave now, I’m going straight to see Laney.”
Garrett was stunned when he saw what was on Kailee’s phone.
He quickly reached for the phone, his expression contorted upon seeing the photos on it, visibly disturbed by the impact of what he saw.
Upon noticing the tense expression on Garrett’s face, Kailee’s mood suddenly lifted and she spoke in a cheerful tone. “I believe Laney would find these pictures quite intriguing.”
“Kailee!” Garrett’s hands tightened around the phone as he stared at Kailee, disbelief etched on his face. “What is it that you want?” he demanded.
Kailee let out a snort of contempt, raising her chin with a smug look as she gazed at Ian.
“First things first, I want you to fire this person,” she declared, pointing an accusing finger at Ian. “We can discuss the other matters afterwards.” Garrett’s face turned crimson with rage as he glared first at Ian, then at Kailee. His breathing became labored as he struggled to regain his composure.
While he did consider the idea of firing Ian, Garrett didn’t want to be forced into it by Kailee. Garrett knew that he was in a difficult situation. If he didn’t do what Kailee wanted, Laney might find out about the photos, which would be disastrous. However, if he did fire Ian, it would only give Kailee more power over him. Garrett’s mind raced as he weighed the consequences of his actions. He had never been in a situation like this before, and he felt completely helpless. On one hand, he didn’t want to give in to Kailee’s demands, but on the other hand, he couldn’t bear the thought of Laney seeing those photos.
With a composed tone, Ian interjected, “I was sent here by Mrs. Larson. Mr. Harding doesn’t have the authority to determine my employment status.”
Kailee lazily cast a glance at Ian, then turned to the hesitant Garrett and urged him, “He is a mere assistant. You can handle such a simple thing, can’t you?”
Clenching his fists, Garrett’s eyes shifted between Ian and Kailee, as if trying to weigh the consequences of his next move. After a moment of hesitation, he made up his mind and addressed Ian in a low voice, “You may go now, Ian.”
“Sure, but you need to discuss this with Mrs. Larson before firing me,” Ian calmly replied.
Ian pulled out his phone and dialed Natalie’s number. He then handed the phone to Kailee and said, “You talk to her.”
The complacent look on Kailee’s face disappeared in an instant. She didn’t expect Ian to have the audacity to mention Natalie’s name and threaten her.
Ian noticed Kailee’s hesitation to speak with Natalie and said, “Mrs. Larson specifically instructed me to contact her directly if you ever came around to cause trouble again. I am sure she would be very interested to hear what you have to say.”
As Kailee stood there, the memories of a phone call came flooding back to her mind. It was the day when Laney had given birth to her baby, and she had received a call from Natalie. The voice on the other end had been cold and unyielding, promising to never let her go if she were to cause problems.
She suddenly panicked and swiftly reached out to grab the phone.
Ian stepped back to avoid Kailee. “Don’t threaten me with Natalie!” Kailee stubbornly retorted, This is a matter concerning the Harding family. Regardless of how powerful Natalie may be, is it appropriate for her to meddle in other people’s family affairs?”
Ian maintained a cold gaze on Kailee, but remained silent.
Although Ian was not sure what kind of information Kailee had on her phone that made Garrett so afraid, he wouldn’t just cave in and quit his job.
Garrett may have been afraid of Kailee’s threats, but Natalie was not one to be intimidated by her.
Kailee felt increasingly embarrassed under Ian’s calm gaze. Turning to Garrett, she threatened him openly, “You better take care of Ian soon, or I can’t guarantee that I won’t go to Laney right away.”
In spite of his reluctance, Garret had no choice but to hang up Ian’s phone. “You go back first. Don’t tell Laney and Natalie what happened here.”
“Garrett!” Kailee appeared dissatisfied with the outcome and declared, “Don’t forget what I’ve got…”
“Shut up!”
Garrett cut Kailee off sharply and forcefully pulled her aside.
Ian furrowed his brow and watched the departing figures of Kailee and Garrett, sensing that something wasn’t quite right.
Despite not having seen the photos on Kailee’s phone, Ian had a sense that something was amiss based on Garrett’s fearful reaction. He suspected that the situation was difficult to deal with and could possibly hurt Laney.
Ian’s mind was clouded with uncertainty. He wasn’t sure if he should tell Laney about his suspicions.
Ian found himself in a difficult situation. He knew that keeping the truth from Laney could potentially harm her, but he also didn’t want to hurt her feelings by revealing what he suspected. Ian weighed his options carefully, trying to figure out what was the best course of action for everyone involved.
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Ian remained indecisive about whether to inform Laney of his suspicion after he returned to the ward.
“Ian?” Laney motioned her hand in front of Ian and inquired, “Why are you so distracted? Is something troubling you?”
Ian snapped out of his thoughts and met Laney s worried gaze.
He didn’t want to hurt Laney by telling her the truth, but at the same time, he knew that hiding it from her could also cause harm in the future. Laney smiled at him and asked, “What happened? Where is Garrett?”
“Mr. Harding…” Ian’s gaze fell downward, unable to meet Laney’s innocent eyes. After all, he didn’t want to say anything that might cause her pain.
Laney clapped her hands and inquired, “Did you and Garrett have an argument?”
Garrett had a clear dislike towards Ian and made it evident through his actions, which Laney had noticed for a while. However, Laney found herself in a difficult position and didn’t know how to improve their relationship.
Ian hesitated for a few seconds and muttered, “Mrs. Harding, if… I mean, hypothetically speaking, if Mr. Harding were to have an affair, would that make you very upset?”
Laney’s face froze and her eyes widened in shock as she didn’t expect Ian to say something like that to her.
An awkward silence descended upon the ward. Laney broke the prolonged silence, speaking at a deliberate pace. “Ian, I’m not sure why you ask this question, but I have faith that Garrett would never do something like that.” Downcast and depressed, Ian found it hard to utter a word. “Mrs. Harding…”